Pretty Damn Good
by missbee19
Summary: Set immediately after 8x10. Harvey & Donna go out for drinks but end up somewhere else - together - where they begin to admit some things they've both been denying...
1. Chapter 1: Arm In Arm

Harvey and Donna stood in a New York downpour squinting through the raindrops that were soaking them through at an alarming rate. No longer arm in arm as they had been for elevator ride down, not even unlinking when Harvey hit the down button, they braced themselves as cars sped by in the night and coated their lower halves in muddy rainwater consisting of Manhattan's finest dirt.

Harvey had texted his driver, Ray, to pick the pair up before they had even stepped into the elevator while Donna playfully teased him about just how much her selection of alcohol was going to set him back and Harvey had retorted, with that smirk of his she knew all too well, that there was no way she'd be able to drink that much. "Challenge accepted," followed by a "You're on" had ensued.

Yet, still, the two of them waited on the sidewalk for a usually prompt and reliable Ray, becoming more uncomfortable by the second as the rain steadily grew heavier and sheets of water, courtesy of an icy wind, was blown straight into their designer apparel soaking through to their skin.

"Are you okay, there?" Harvey felt for Donna in those heels and knew she must be feeling even worse than he did. His favourite suit was on the verge of ruin. Donna's shoes were now a shade of brown they had most certainly not been purchased in.

"I'll live but not if Ray doesn't get here soon, where the hell is he?! He's never kept you waiting."

"I don't know but I'm going to find out. First, let's get out of this rain so I can call him."

They walked back under the cover of Zane Specter Litt, although they wouldn't be able to call it that much longer after the events that had only just transpired that night.

"Straight to voicemail," Harvey said, dumbfounded. Not once had Ray ever been unreachable when it came to Harvey Specter. He shrugged, at a loss for words, and this time it was he who linked his arm through Donna's as he pulled her out from under the shelter of the firm and into the rain, being careful not to lead her too fast through the puddles and sludge as they crossed the street, well aware that the fiery redhead could hold her own in those stilettos - just as she had orchestrated Louis' senior partnership victory in true Donna fashion.

"Where are we going?" Donna had to practically bellow to be heard over the deluge around them and the loud squelching their footsteps made as they ploughed on through deserted streets, block after block of buildings passing them by.

"Almost there," Harvey's reply was effortlessly clear enough that she could both hear him and trust that he knew where he was going and it wouldn't be much longer.

He started to slow down and released his arm from where it had practically been glued to hers, both so he could guide her and keep her from falling, using it to gesture in the direction of a cosy-looking little bar lit up with green neon lights called _O'Malley's_.

"Harvey..." she stood looking at the bar before turning to glare at him with bemusement, grabbing her dress on one side and squeezing a generous amount of water from it. "They're not gonna let us in there no matter how low-key the place is. We look like drowned rats."

"Speak for yourself, I look fine." And there it was, that classic Harvey smirk that could lighten any situation and gave her a fuzzy feeling somewhere in her belly button region. Donna was only human after all.

She shook her head, dismissing his quip to think about whose place was closest. "Your apartment isn't far from here, I'm calling us a taxi - which is what we should've done in the first place."

"Did you just invite yourself over to my apartment?"

"What if I did?"

Harvey just grinned. It was nice to be able to banter with her this way again, like they had when the topic of 'the other time' had come up in his office several weeks ago.

When the taxi pulled up a couple of minutes later, he opened the door for her and followed her into the back seat - both trying not to laugh at how ridiculously stupid they must've looked and marvelling at Donna - hair flattened to her face, makeup beginning to run and her dress stuck to every part of her body - as he snuck her a glance after giving the driver his address.

As always, she looked pretty damn good. And, staring out the window at the bright lights of New York still visible through the downpour, Donna Paulsen was thinking the exact same thing about the way Harvey Specter looked sitting next to her.


	2. Chapter 2: I lied

"Oh my god. I don't think any part of me isn't drenched right now." Shaking off her shoes in his doorway, Donna wrapped her arms around herself to stifle the uncontrollable shivering that had suddenly come on. "Harvey, either it's freezing in here or I'm more wet than it's possible to be."

"Hold your horses, missy. I'll light the fire." He rushed over to his fireplace, not wanting to let her shiver any longer than was necessary. He already couldn't stand to see her looking so uncomfortable - despite how well she pulled off the 'wet-sheek' look. As the flames started to burn and a comfortable warmth began to fill their surroundings, the pair set to work on drying off.

"I'll go get us some towels." As Harvey headed to his linen closet, Donna moved closer to the fire. She settled herself down on an white leather ottoman and held her hands out towards the flames. _What on Earth is happening?_ She thought to herself. _I'm at Harvey's. Soaking wet. Waiting for him to get towels, while drying off by his fireplace..._

Her thoughts were left to fade into oblivion as, at that moment, Harvey reappeared, wearing grey New York Yankees sweat pants and a plain white t-shirt (which fit him perfectly...), bearing fresh, soft, blindingly white towels with a satisfyingly high thread count, no doubt. He held one out to her, looking at her only like Harvey could, but there was something else there in his eyes that she couldn't quite put her finger on...

"Do you want me to give you one of my old t-shirts and some sweatpants to change into? The state of that dress must be killing you." Harvey knew how much Donna loved her designer frocks and that it would be paining her emotionally, not just physically, to have one looking so distressed - especially as it had been tailored specifically to fit her delicate frame and could make her feel like a million dollars.

Taking the towel she said a soft, "Thanks, but a towel will be fine, Harvey" and started towelling dry her hair. He was doing the same on the sofa to her right and she tried not look at him. But it was like a train wreck, the more you tried to look away the more it just drew you back in and, once you'd had one look, you just needed another and another and...

"I don't think my suit is wearable any more." His voice startled her and she almost fell off the ottoman. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed as he had just got up from the sofa, heading in the direction from which he'd brought the towels, and when he came back he was holding the waterlogged, mud-splattered suit jacket he'd changed out of. Carefully, he hung it over the back of one of his kitchen stools, staring at it for a while, examining it by running a hand over its soft exterior to feel the damage before letting his hand rest just above one of the pockets. He looked as though he was deep in thought about another time. A distant time.

"Harvey, you have a hundred suits, I'm sure you can say goodbye to that one." Donna noticed the disappointment in Harvey's voice when he spoke about the suit being so mutilated. She didn't want to broach the subject but his silence propelled her to say something to fill the void. "That's not just any suit, is it?"

"No, it's not. My father helped me pick that out." Suddenly, at the thought of his father, he next spoke with a smile on his face and was instantly at ease.

Donna loved hearing him speak of his father. She always enjoyed learning of new moments the two shared, so she got up from the ottoman and made herself at home on the other end of the sofa Harvey had been sitting on moments earlier. She sat back, feet tucked up under her, eager to hear why the probably irreparable suit hurt just a little more than it should.

"He always hated my choice of suits." "When he learnt I was going back to work with Jessica he insisted on taking me out to choose a 'proper suit, not one of those overpriced things people buy simply for the name that don't have an ounce of comfort or style to them.'" "He used to say that you needed to feel as good as you looked or there really wasn't any point in getting dressed at all. Turns out he was right..."

Harvey walked back over to the sofa and plonked himself down beside Donna. Not so close that any part them touched, but close enough that she could notice every subtle move or shuffle he made to get comfortable.

"Well, he was right about one thing." As Donna said it, she noticed Harvey smelled particularly scrumptious for someone who'd, until very recently, donned a tragically drowned, smelly suit...

"What?"

"You look pretty damn good in that suit." And, boy, did she mean that.

"He had good taste." Harvey didn't see the remark as anything more than a compliment between friends/colleagues. What was new? Well, this time, Donna was going to make things clear.

"I meant that, Harvey." Donna wasn't going to let the moment pass with Harvey just disregarding her words like they were a joke or simply said to lighten the moment. She had truly meant them and wanted him to know it. She was done waiting. Done doing nothing. In this moment, her still wet hair slicked to her face and her long-sleeved designer black dress only just beginning to unstick from every part of her, she was throwing actual caution to the wind. What did she have to lose anymore? She had everything she wanted - except him. And she was done. "Harvey. When I said I didn't feel anything when I kissed you... I lied."

There was a hideously drawn out silence. Donna feared she'd just ruined any chance of ever being with him. Or just being with him at all ever again. She couldn't handle that. Life without Harvey? That didn't make any sense.

"Donna..." Harvey always struggled to tell her how he felt in situations like this.

She thought of the time when he said he'd loved her as he was leaving her apartment and the awkward conversation that had led to... She cringed. Not again. You could see him having difficulty finding the right response. Or even any response. But what happened next wasn't anything either of them saw coming. He just opened his mouth and spoke. Like it were as easy as breathing. "I know. I felt it too."


	3. Ch 3: Strawberries & Whipped Cream Again

What happened now that their feelings were finally out in the open was mostly Harvey and Donna breaking things. A lot of things. Turns out thirteen, or rather twelve and a half, years of trying to be ok with seeing each other every day and being in such close proximity, but never being able to be as close as either one of them wanted to be, can be quite frustrating. There comes a point when enough is enough. The two of them had reached that point.

Harvey tried to navigate the two of them off the couch and into his bedroom, but not before he backed Donna right into the coffee table, sending the potted cactus she gave him straight onto the floor where it shattered into a mess of many spiky pieces.

"What is it? Are you ok?" Harvey couldn't see what he'd knocked over until he'd untangled himself from Donna and that's when he noticed it there, destroyed. _I've actually killed it_ , he thought. "Did the cactus prick you?"

"No, Harvey, I'm fine. And I'm getting you another one of those, by the way, you're not getting rid of it that easily."

Now that the two of them had been interrupted from the frenzy they'd been in, Donna had been given a moment to think of something crucial that they had almost forgotten in their haste.

"Do you have any strawberries and whipped cream?" She blurted out the question formed during a very important light bulb moment.

"Is Louis managing partner?" Was all Harvey could think of as a reply.

"You're an idiot." Donna rolled her eyes, kissing him swiftly before rushing to the fridge.

As she rummaged quickly to find what they needed, Donna couldn't believe what was happening. _Can we make it work this time? Screw it. We can deal with that later_. Right then she planned to devour not only the strawberries and whipped cream but also Harvey Specter. And the mess they made to get to his bed after she'd got back to where he'd stood waiting, was proof that this sexcapade had been a long time coming. But it didn't come close to the mess they were going to make with the strawberries and whipped cream... Again.


	4. Chapter 4: Did You Put Vanilla In Those?

Harvey was woken up by a glorious New York sunrise streaming in through the glass surrounding his bed. He turned over expecting to glimpse Donna's face, lighting up his world and causing everything around him to pale in comparison, instead finding a drawn and crumpled up sheet. He stumbled out of bed wearing only his boxers, effortlessly pulling off that look, and found her in the kitchen making them both coffee.

He walked up to her quietly from behind to wrap his arms around her waist, kissing her neck, and caught her off guard.

"God, you scared me. Good thing I wasn't still pouring these coffees!"

"Sorry." Looking over her shoulder at the coffees, he kissed her softly on one cheek.

"Did you put vanilla in those? I haven't been to the store in a while. Pretty sure I'm out of it."

"I was just adding some as you decided to scare the living daylight out of me. I found it deep in the bowels of your kitchen. I can't guarantee it's in date. The use-by must've rubbed off. You really should go shopping, mister...!"

"I clearly have more important things to do." He pulled her around so that they were face-to-face.

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" She raised an eyebrow at him as she'd said it.

"Like this..." Harvey kissed her much the same way she did back in her office about a year ago but, this time, the recipient was one Donna Paulsen who had wanted this for so long and neither of them needed to break away. This kiss went on for what felt like an entire morning to the two of them. And it would have, had they not had a little thing called work to worry about that same morning.

Finally, the bliss had to end. They'd broken away from each other, but Harvey's hands were still resting gently on either side of her face. He never wanted to let her go.

Donna was looking straight into those dreamy eyes she had to keep herself from getting lost in so often, and all she could think was - _at_ _last_ _I_ _don't_ _have_ _to_ _try_ _not_ _to_ _get_ _lost_ _in_ _them_. _It_ _feels_ _good_. _This_ _feels_ _good_. But they knew 'this' wouldn't come easy and they were both smart enough to realise that they needed to talk this through - fast.

"I know I'm irresistible but you know I make a good coffee, so we should drink these, right?"

Harvey kissed her on the forehead before releasing her of his touch. She smiled a new smile, one that said she'd be happy for that to happen more often, before turning back to the bench to grab their coffees. Harvey took his coffee from one of her outstretched hands. Heading for the couch, all he could think was _this moment is better than anything I've ever dreamed of_. So much better than that one dream that still stood out to him, where he waited for Donna to make them coffee and she walked in with them wearing only one of his shirts...

Sitting on his couch, curled up together - the epitome of comfort - with their vanilla-infused coffees, they tried to delay the dreaded moment as long as possible. She was wearing one of his old black t-shirts and a look that said, "what are we doing here?"

He didn't want to know what his face looked like because he knew he must've looked a bit afraid. Afraid that this could all come crashing down at any moment. She always said that if they became _this_ she could no longer work with him. And the last part of that dream he'd thought about just before was feeling a little too real...

"I know I threw my rule out the window with Stephen - not that that worked out - but, Harvey, can we make this work? Us?"

"Donna - you're COO now. You're not my assistant. Louis is managing partner. Not Jessica. Neither of us has been seeing anyone for some time. I wonder why that is? For one, the firm is our life. And I don't know about you but, whenever I walk into my office each morning, I wonder when I'll get to see you. But when I do, it's always business. Or flirting. Or business. Or we fight over something stupid."

"Like David Fox...?" Silence. He picked up a strand of her hair that was hanging in her face & put it behind one of her ears. He looked her straight in the eyes, getting lost in their warmth and wondering how on earth he could tell her that nothing else mattered except that he, Harvey Reginald Specter, wanted to be with her - and anything that was stopping them could go straight to hell.

"My point is... I'm done pretending and avoiding and thinking of all the reasons that us being together would be a bad idea. I want more. And I know that's what you meant before you left me to go work for Louis. I just didn't want to risk losing what we had. You were right. But Donna..." He reached for the mug she was holding, taking it from her to place on the coffee table. Taking both her hands in his, gripping them tightly like he never wanted to let go, he looked her in the eyes and said calmly and simply, "We will make this work."

"And I want to make this work, Harvey. But, maybe we should keep this between the two of us for now. Until we figure it all out. I mean, the last thing we want is for Louis to find out and make work a living hell for us, now that he has all the power. God, what was I thinking?"

They both burst out laughing before cuddling up to each other to sit and enjoy the last few minutes they could spare before they had to get ready for work. For a few glee-filled minutes it was just Harvey and Donna in each other's arms and, as far as they were concerned, Zane Specter Litt Wheeler Williams and the rest of New York City didn't even exist. Nothing would ever come between them again. At least, that's what they thought...


	5. Chapter 5: Some Kind Of Glow

Harvey walked into his office at the exact time he would any other morning - as did Donna - to avoid any suspicion that they had been virtually inseparable since they'd left together to get drinks the night before. That didn't mean they both weren't feeling as though they were walking on eggshells - worried that the slightest tell would give their secret rendezvous away.

They both buried themselves in work in an attempt to put the previous night and the morning that had followed, the bliss-filled morning they'd just come straight to work from, out of their minds - but neither one of them could stop thinking about any of it. It took all of their effort not to replay every second of it back in their minds and when Donna could no longer stand pretending to read over a memo, when really she was back in Harvey's bed, taking in every detail of his face as he slept beside her, she had to get away. Dropping what she was doing, she scooped up her phone and shoved it in her purse before hastily heading for the door. She hadn't noticed that Louis was making a beeline for her office and walked straight into him just as she'd entered the hallway.

"Jeez, Donna, what's the rush?" There was clearly something else annoying Louis as he began brushing down his suit - she could hear it in his tone. After all, Donna knew everything.

"I just really need some caffeine, that's all." It came out a little more high-pitched than she'd intended it to. She really was on edge and the last person she could afford to be anything but her usual self around right now was Louis Litt.

"That's funny, I just went to see Harvey and he said the exact same thing. Next thing I know he's gone in a huff of smoke."

 _Oh god. Great minds really do think alike - but will Louis put two and two together?_ Was all she could think, before replying, "Well, it was a big night and we went for drinks without you. Guess we had a few too many." Why she'd told him they'd gone out for drinks she'll never know. It always was hard for her to lie, but that was one truth she could have kept to herself.

"Man, now I wish I'd been there. Seeing you and Harvey that wasted - would've been priceless. Just the thought of it is making me feel less traumatised by the phone call I just had with my parents."

So his parents were to blame for him wanting to unload his frustrations on her.

Donna was suddenly really glad Louis hadn't joined them. The whole night would have looked very different, but at least she wouldn't be trying desperately to stop it consuming her thoughts. She was also grateful he hadn't considered that they'd done anything more than end up in a drunken stupor together.

"For someone with a hangover, you really do look great this morning, Donna. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you've got some kind of... Hmmm... Like, a glow happening."

 _Crap. Crap. Crap. He's getting too close_. Donna needed to get away - fast. "No idea what you mean, Louis. My head is pounding and I really do need that coffee. I'll see you at the partners meeting." And before he'd had a chance to reply she was already heading for the elevator lobby. After calling an elevator, she rummaged through her bag for her phone, frantically shooting Harvey the only text she could manage in her current state. "Louis is onto us. Meet me by your bagel guy. Now!"

Harvey's phone pinged right before she exited the elevator in the lobby to see him standing there like he'd been expecting her to show up at that very moment.

She'd never been more glad to see him and her stomach did a particular backflip it seldom did - and hadn't done in about twelve and a half years to be exact. "How'd you know I'd be here?" She tried not to grin from ear to ear but it was like she could no longer control certain reflexes and it just happened. They started to head for the glass revolving door, trying not to walk too close to each other. Harvey wished he could just grab her hand and whisk her away again but knew any kind of contact was a bad idea considering they were still within metres of the firm.

"Maybe you're not the only one who knows everything." He paused to let her gather herself. She was visibly flustered and he knew why as soon as he'd read her text. "I was actually about to text you to meet me in the same place."

"Was Louis getting suss with you too?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. I just wanted to see you." He went to take her hand but she pulled away before she could even feel his touch. She wasn't taking any chances that someone who knew them could walk past at the very moment they held hands.

"Harvey we have to be careful. Louis might not know but he's not the only person we need to worry about." She didn't want to sound too harsh but she did need him to know she was serious. About what she'd just said and about them working out how to navigate a burgeoning relationship.

"I know. You're right. I just couldn't help myself. I can't stop thinking about you. I was going crazy in my office and I had to get out of there." Harvey really did look conflicted. And he was. On the one hand, he wanted to put it out of his mind so they could convince everyone at ZSLWW it was business as usual between them, but on the other he wanted to shout it from the roof of the building that he was finally with the woman he now knew he should've been with since before she even became his secretary.

"I know the feeling. I can't stop thinking about you, either. Or about last night. Or this morning. My office was suffocating me too." She started staring at her feet, fearing that if she looked him in the eyes the feelings she was trying to ignore would come rushing at her, like waves in a violent storm, and she wasn't sure she could handle that right now. She could've really taken advantage of it always being ok for them to hug, at that moment, but she knew then that there were exceptions to that rule. Even if he didn't.

"Why did you think Louis was onto us?" Harvey could see the subject needed to be changed, even if it wasn't a complete one-eighty.

"He said I had a glow about me he couldn't put his finger on."

"He wasn't wrong." Said with a raised eyebrow and a classic Harvey smirk.

"Harvey! You're not helping!"

"Relax. Louis couldn't tell a glow from indigestion."

"I hope you're right because I had to get out of his face pretty fast after he said that. It's all a bit of a blur now."

Harvey gripped both of her shoulders before she could protest and escape his touch again. Looking her in the eyes, his hands providing the perfect amount of comfort and reassurance, he said "We can do this, Donna. We're gonna march back in there and walk down the hall together for the partners meeting, with our casual banter thing we do, and no one'll have a clue. Except us. Because what goes on between us - that's ours and nobody else's. Got it?"

"Got it. But we should probably actually get that coffee we said we were stepping out for..."

"You're right."

"When am I not?"

Moments later, the two of them were walking back down the street, extra strong coffees in hand, like they were simply a named partner and a COO who had stepped out for a caffeine hit to get them through the morning. Only they knew that they were so much more than that. Only Harvey and Donna knew that they were two people who'd been denying for thirteen, not twelve-and-a-half, years, that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together - and not merely as colleagues. And the rest of their lives - that was starting right now.

The pair were soon back at the firm getting into an elevator car. It seemed that they had managed to score a rare quiet moment in the lobby - with no one else waiting to ascend - and they had the elevator all to themselves. Not long after the doors closed and they were safe inside, Harvey hit the emergency stop button and the car ground to a holt. He took her face in both hands, just like he had back at his apartment the night before, and with their foreheads touching, said "Let's do this", before breaking away for a quick kiss (he couldn't mess up her make-up, after all!).

Donna was grateful it had only been a quick kiss as she was pretty sure if she hadn't been glowing earlier, she was positively sparkling after that. Anything more and she would've been hard-pressed at maintaining her composure. Harvey hit the button again to send the lift back on course for the impending meeting - even though both of them would've liked that private elevator ride to have got a little more steamy.

Stepping off the elevator, coffee-less and with a point to prove, it was time for the couple to break out the Harvey and Donna of old for all to see. The best friend routine that they'd become so in tune with.

"I had a nightmare that we made Louis managing partner." Harvey was a natural.

"That wasn't a nightmare. And you know it. We talked about it this morning. Over coffee. Remember?

"What, when we both agreed that we were going to keep _this-_ " he gestured an index finger at himself and then at her as he said it - "to ourselves?"

Donna gave him a look that said both, 'I'm annoyed with you right now but you're also pretty,' before he had a chance to continue

"It was one hell of a dream, I'm telling you. You were there, and let's just say you were _not_ wearing that." He pointed to her dark green dress as he said it.

"Yep, also not a dream, Harvey." Donna gave him a smirk before pushing him into his office, which they'd finally reached, and closing the door behind them.

"Harvey, I'm serious. It's Louis' first day as managing partner. We do not want him finding out right now."

Right on cue, Louis came strutting down the hallway like the world was his runway and as if a cinematic tune were accompanying his every step. It took all the restraint Harvey could muster to keep him from laughing out loud. Donna avoided making eye contact with him, because she knew the moment she did it would all become too much and they'd both be in hysterics. It was almost as bad as the time Louis asked her to 'feel his wood', except this time she didn't have the luxury of being able to run away from him. Instead, she pursed her lips and focused on Harvey's record collection, like she'd suddenly spotted something on the shelf that had peaked her interest.

"You can stop staring lovingly at my records. He's gone - thank God." Harvey's smile was half at the memory of what he'd just witnessed and half due to the fact he was still trying not to laugh.

"We'd better get to the parters meeting. Unless you need a minute to compose yourself?" Donna felt like she could use a minute, herself.

"I'm fine. Let's get this over with. It can't be any worse than that horrid meeting we had to have when he got his name up on the wall."

"Louis has come a long way since then - you know he has, Harvey."

"Still doesn't mean I'm ready to walk in there with a party hat." And, with that, the two of them headed towards the conference room.

The meeting was surprisingly bearable, just regular formalities that went with Louis being made managing partner. Being there wasn't hard at all. Donna was right - Louis _had_ come a long way. Harvey almost ignored his phone when it flashed awake on the table in front of him, alerting him to an incoming call. And he would have, had he not noticed the caller ID which told him his mother was on the other end.

Harvey stood up and apologised - sincerely - for having to step out to take the call, telling the room it was important. It wasn't a lie. His mother hadn't called in a while and it very well could be important if she suddenly was.

Slightly nervous, but mostly curious, he hit the answer button. A minute later he was wishing he'd never left the meeting, that he'd never taken the call and would still be oblivious to what his mother had called to tell him. But he had answered it. And he didn't think he'd shake the words his mother had half-sobbed over the line to him from his memory. The news would haunt him forever.


	6. Chapter 6: I Need You

Donna watched Harvey take the call through the glass that enclosed the conference room. She could only see the back of his head, but she didn't need to see his face to know that it was not at all good news on the other end. Harvey's posture had changed dramatically since he'd answered the call. His shoulders had slumped and any of that Harvey Specter confidence that usually showed in his stance had vanished.

After he'd lowered the phone from his ear to hang up, he stood there as if in shock, lingering in the hallway before making a mad dash in the direction of his office.

A few minutes later the meeting ended and Donna stood up to exit the moment it did. She made a beeline for the door and as soon as she was through it she was off - nothing and nobody would stop her from getting to Harvey as fast as her Manolo Blahniks would carry her.

The sight that met her as she laid eyes on him, sitting on the couch in his office, elbows on his knees, head in his hands, clearly shaken, had Donna thinking the worst. She rushed over to sit right beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Harvey. Are you ok? Who was the call from?"

She wasn't sure she even wanted to know. But she had to ask. She needed to be there for him. Seeing him like this was terrifying her. It was taking a piece of her seeing him so broken.

Slowly, he lifted his head to look at her and she felt her eyes fill with tears the instant she saw his face. His eyes were a scary shade of red and they glistened underneath, the strain of his silent tears clearly visible. She hadn't seen him this vulnerable before, not even when his father died. He always hid his emotions and put on a brave face in times of sadness. She didn't expect him to speak so soon, as he was still in shock, but he did. And the moment he started it all came tumbling out.

His voice was eerily calm and sounded almost as it usually did, with just a slight huskiness about it, and Donna lifted her hand from his shoulder - afraid that her touch might make it harder for him to keep his composure. Instead, she looked him straight in the eye, willing those tears to stay right where they were. The last thing he needed was to see her upset. Even when they were just friends (but were they ever really just friends?) he couldn't stand seeing her hurting.

"It was my mother. Marcus and Katie were driving to get milkshakes after their kids' school's musical when their car was driven off the road by a drunk driver."

Donna's hand flew to her mouth. Harvey was holding back tears as much as she was, but continued to speak.

"The kids only have minor injuries, but it's not looking good for their parents. Donna, I can't lose Marcus. And those kids can't lose either of them... Why does everyone have to leave? First Jessica, then Mike and Rachel and Katie... And now her and my brother... No, they're going to be ok. This is all going to be ok." Harvey's tone of voice had changed. He was suddenly louder, more confident. Even if he was only trying to convince himself that what he was saying were true.

"Harvey, I'm so sorry. What can I do? I want to help. Are you going to Boston? I can book your flights."

"Come with me. I need you. I can't do this alone. My mom needs me. And she could really use someone like you by her side right now. We both could."

"Are you sure?"

It meant the world to Donna that he had asked her to come with him, but their relationship had only just begun. Nobody even knew they were a thing. And she didn't think she'd be meeting his mother so soon, and definitely not under these circumstances. But, truth be told, Donna was ready. She'd been ready for years. For over a decade she'd imagined the two of them as a couple more times than she'd care to admit; daydreamed about him introducing her to his parents. Yes, Donna Paulsen had even thought about it 13 years ago when his dad was still alive.

"I've never been surer about anything, ever."

Any of the pain that had consumed Harvey moments earlier had all but vanished as he'd said the words to her. True and all-consuming love will do that to a person - take every ounce of pain away with just one look in their eyes. Or a kiss. And that's exactly what Harvey did next. He pressed his forehead to hers and kissed her like the world was ending. And she responded with just the same amount of urgency.

Neither of them cared that their colleagues were right now exiting the conference room after hanging back to chat amongst each other. Or that Louis Litt was heading straight for Harvey's office to ask what phone call was so urgent that he had to leave the meeting that abruptly. And neither of them gave a damn when they looked up to see Louis' face, staring right at them, aglow from a flood of reactions. Their newly-crowned managing partner had just witnessed them giving in to a moment of realisation of how lucky they were to have each other, and be with each other - at last.

Instead, beyond caring, they just sat there - Donna letting herself sink into Harvey's shoulder and Harvey resting his head against Donna's. They were in this for the long haul and they didn't care who knew it.


End file.
